Beach tent



Jan. 29, 1963 G. B. D. PARKER 3,075,536

BEACHITENT Filed Dec. 9, 1959 I INVENTOR: Geoma- B. b. PARKE-R United States Patent 3,075,536 BEACH TENT George B. D. Parker, Chin quapin, NC. Filed Dec. 9, 1959, Ser. No.- 858,498 2 Claims. (Cl. 135-5) This invention relates to a tent and more particularly to a portable tent for use in open areas such as beaches or the like which are exposed to the prevailing wind.

In outdoor recreational activities, particularly that activity which occurs in beach areas, it is highly desirable to provide a cover or protection for individuals from the intense rays of the sun common to the beach, as well as from adverse weather conditions, and even to provide concealment. Present day structures for obtaining such protection take the form of umbrellas and various types of tents. These present day devices are generally composed of many parts so that they are diflicutto erect and dismantle, and in many cases are heavy and cumbersome, sothat they may be carried about only with difficulty. Furthermore, such beach accessories, such as tents and umbrellas, are generally expensive and, consequently, this reduces their ready marketability, when coupled with the fact that they are useful generally only during limited seasonal periods.

Accordingly, a primary object of the invention is to provide a novel tent for use on beaches or the like which is extremely simple and of light-weight construction, which may be readily erected and dismantled, which is inexpensive to manufacture, and is composed of a minimum of parts.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel tent, for use on beaches and the like, which may be readily adjusted both for wind direction and wind velocity and therefore maintain the tent in a stable erected condition.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a tent comprising an elongate, substantially rectangular and pliable web, one end edge of which is attached to a transverse or horizontal rod of a substantially T-shaped frame whose vertical portion or post may be buried in earth adjacent the other end edge of the web. Said other end edge of the web may be buried a substantial depth in the sand or earth or it may be attached, at its medial portion, to the post. The pliability of the web is such that the pressure of the wind flowing thereagainst, between the opposed end edges of the web, forms the web into a substantially C-shaped body.

As the direction of the wind changes to any substantial extent, and if no person is resting upon the lower reach of the web body, the lower end of the post may pivot in the sandy earth to thereby permit the tent to wind-cock; i.e., turn with the wind. Also, the direction in which the tent is facing may be readily changed,

since a person need only grasp portions of the horizontal rod, adjacent opposite sides of the post, and impart a turning movement thereto. Of course, this will turn the whole tent, although the lower of the two end edges of the web may require some smoothing and straightening.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a tent constructed in accordance with the invention and being illustrated in an erected condition;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 22 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged plan view of the connecting means shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 4--4 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an isometric view similar to FIGURE 1 showing a modification of the invention; and v FIGURE 6 is a side view of the tent in FIGURE 5.

Referring now to the drawing and to FIGURE 1 in particular, there is shown a tent, broadly designated at 11 which is constructed in accordance with the present invention. The tent 11 is suitable for use in open areas such as beaches and the like and is arranged to be readily located on the surface or sand 12 of the beach area in which the tent is to be employed.

The tent 11 includes a length of pliable or fiexible web material 13 which serves as the tent body and which is preferably of elongated rectangular shape and formed from durable web material such as sheet plastic or fabric, such as canvas, sailcloth and the like. The pliable material forming body 13 is provided with longitudinal side edges 14, 15 which are preferably formed by folding over the material and securing the material in the folded condition by suitable means such as stitching 14a, 15a.

Body 13 terminates in ends or end edge portions 16, 17. End 17 is designated hereinafter as the upper end and is arranged to be positioned in spaced elevated position relative to end 16, which is designated hereinafter as the lower end. Ends 16, 17 define an opening therebctween adapted to face into the wind, the direction of which is indicated by the arrows I. As shown in FIG- URE l, the pressure of the wind applied to the body 13 positions and maintains the body in a substantially C- shaped configuration so as to serve as protection against the sun and the like to individuals seated therein. It is apparent that the length of the web material 13 is much greater than the distance between ends 16, 17 when the tent 11 is erected.

In order to position the ends 16, 17 of body 13 in the position shown, the lower end-16 may be embedded in the earth or sand 12 to a substantial extent as shown in FiGURES 1 and 4. The end 16 is preferably buried to a depth of 2 to 6 inches which, in most instances, is sufficient to hold the end 16 in a fixed position relative to the surface of the beach area 12 on which the tent is erected. The body 13 should be so arranged, and the lower end 1'6 so positioned, that the body 13 extends substantially perpendicular to the wind direction indicated by the arrows 1 and so that maximum advantage can be taken of the pressure created by the wind, since the pliability of the web is such that it is maintained in the desired G-shaped configuration solely by the wind blowing thereagainst. However, it has been found in practice, that satisfactory erection of the tent may exist in a normal Wind (5 to 15 miles per hour) when the angle between the wind direction and transverse dimension of the body 13 is as little as thirty degrees, depending upon the wind velocity, of course. If so desired, the lower end 16 may be anchored in position, as will be later described.

The upper end 17 of the body 13 is held in spaced elevated position relative to the end 16 by means of a post 242' of a substantially T-shaped frame 13. Post 20 is formed of light-weight material, such as tubular aluminum or the like. The lower end of post 2t) is embedded in the sand 12 adjacent the lower end 16 of body 13. The upper end of post 20 is detachably and adjustably connected to the upper end 17 of body 13 by means of a lateral rod member or rigid bar 21, which may be for-med of tubular aluminum or the like. Rod member 21 is preferably secured to the upper end 17 of body 13 by turning back the web material over the rod member 21 and securing the turned-back material to the body 6s by any suitable means, such as stitching 17a. The upper end 17 of the Web material forming the body is cut away intermediate the side edges 14, to form an opening 22, the edges of which are preferably reinforced by a strip of material 23 suitably stitched thereto.

As best shown in FIGURE 2, a medial portion of the rod member 21 exposed by the opening 22 is arranged to accommodate a substantially U-shapcd clamp 24 having formed in opposed legs thereof a pair of alined openings 25. Clamp 24 is also provided with securing means such as a thumb screw 26 threadably penetrating the arch or bridge of clamp 24. The post 2t; is secured to the transverse or substantially horizontal rod 2?. by positioning the clamp 24 on the rod 21 and inserting the upper end of the post through the openings in clamp 24 so that the clamp 24 and post 29 are arranged in the position of FIGURES 1, 2 and 3.

When the upper end 17 of the body 13 has been moved to a selected elevated position by sliding the clamp 24 along the post 29, the screw 26 is then tightened to draw the post 2i, tightly against the rod 21. By this sim- 'ple maneuver, the tent ill is completely erected and the pressure of the wind moves against the body 13 so that the body assumes and is maintained in the C-shaped configuration of FiGURE 1.

If desired, additional securing or anchoring means may be provided for the lower end 16 of body 13. In its specific embodiment, the anchoring means comprises a loop or strap 3%) suitably secured by means, such as s 'tching 31, to the lower end 16. When strap 3% is employed, it receives the post 24} as it is inserted into the sand 12, as best shown in FIGURE 4, so the lower end of the post 20 aids in preventing the wind from dislodging the lower end 16 from the fixed position shown in FIG- URE 1.

Referring now to FIGURES 5 and 6 there is shown a modification of the tent of the invention wherein those parts corresponding to like parts of the first form of the invention, shall bear the same reference characters with the prime notation added. The tent 11 is provided with means for increasing the effective pressure of the wind on the body 13 and to therefore more easily maintain the tent in the erected condition and to reduce flapping of the longitudinal edges 14, 15 of body 13.

More specifically, the side edges 14, 15 of the tent 11' are provided with respective rows of longitudinally spaced openings 33, 34 for accommodating respective draw strings 35, 36 as shown. The draw strings 35, 36 are threaded in an alternating manner through the respective openings 33, 34 and permit the edgs l4, 15" of the body 13 to be drawn up or bunched, as shown, to form the portion of the C-shaped body 13' intermediate the ends 16', 17 into a cup-shaped formation so as to more readily en'trap the wind impinging thereon. As illustrated, the draw strings 3-5, 36 are knotted Initially :at one end and, when the body edges 14, 15 have been drawn up, a knot is formed in the other end of the draw strings to hold the edges M, 15' in the drawn condition. The draw strings 35, 36 exemplify any suitable means for ruifling or reducing the effective length of the longitudinal edges 14, 15 of body 13. Stitching, snap fasteners, hooks-and-eyes or any other rufiiing means may be provided for this purpose without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It desired, an opening or port 37 may be provided in the body 13' preferably in a central position, as shown, so as to partially relieve the wind pressure applied to the central portion of the body 13 so as to reduce the likelihood of the body 13 being carried away by a high wind velocity without inhibiting the action of the wind in maintaining the tent 11 in the erected condition.

It is thus seen that I have provided a novel and inexpensive tent construction which may be readily erected by one person and which may also be moved from one place to another by merely lifting the post 20 of frame 13 out of the earth and dragging or carrying the tent to another location and again inserting the lower end of the post in the earth. Further, the novel tent construction may be readily disassembled, merely by loosening the thumb screw 26 and sliding the post 20 out of the clamp 24, whereupon the post 20 and lateral rod 21 may be positioned in close parallel relationship and the web body 13 may then be rolled about the rods 20, 21 to facilitate transporting and storing the tent.

in addition to being inexpensive, easy to construct and dismantle, transport and store, the single post of this tent, combined with the pliability of the body 13, enables the shifting of the body about the post, as the post turns in the earth, in accordance with substantial changes in wind direction and velocity, thus insuring that the opening defined between the upper and lower end edges 16, 17 may always face substantially toward the direction from which the wind is blowing, and thus insuring that the wind impinges against the inner surface of the C- shaped body to maintain the body in the desired substantially C-shaped form. Of course, it is apparent that the force of the Wind against the body, with a substantial change in direction of the wind might pull one corner of the lower end portion of the body out of the earth to some extent and cause the other corner to Wrinkle. Ordinarily, this would not be objectionable and could be readily straightened when the tent was to be subsequently occupied.

It should be noted that the direction in which the tent is facing can be readily changed without removing the post 17 from the earth, since a person need only grasp opposed portions of the upper edge portion 17, and lateral bar 21, and impart a turning motion thereto, and the post will then turn while embedded in the earth. It is then a simple matter to again bury the free end portion of the lower end 16 in the earth, if necessary or desirable. Of course, in instances in which the loop 30 is used, it may not be necessary to bury the end portion 16 in the sand.

In the drawings and specification there have been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms .are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A beach tent comprising a substantially rectangular length of fabric, means extending longitudinally of the side edges of the fabric for gathering the same, means engaging opposite ends of the fabric for securing said ends in vertically spaced relation to each other with the lower end engaging the beach earth and the upper end positioned a suflicient distance above the beach earth to permit access thereunder, the length of said fabric being substantially greater than the distance between said spaced ends, said web in the absence of prevailing wind depending freely from said upper end in collapsed folded condition, and said web being unfolded and blown into substantially cup-shaped configuration by a. prevailing wind directed between said spaced ends.

2. A beach tent as in claim 1, wherein said fabric has an opening therethrough in a medial portion for passage of Wind directed between said spaced ends.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 882,870 Cary Mar. 24, 1908 2,190,566 Julian Feb. 13, 1940 2,865,385 Crafts Dec. 23, 1958 

1. A BEACH TENT COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR LENGTH OF FABRIC, MEANS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE SIDE EDGES OF THE FABRIC FOR GATHERING THE SAME, MEANS ENGAGING OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE FABRIC FOR SECURING SAID ENDS IN VERTICALLY SPACED RELATION TO EACH OTHER WITH THE LOWER END ENGAGING THE BEACH EARTH AND THE UPPER END POSITIONED A SUFFICIENT DISTANCE ABOVE THE BEACH EARTH TO PERMIT ACCESS THEREUNDER, THE LENGTH OF SAID FABRIC 